The Player Detective
by FranT73
Summary: A woman comes to a detective for help with her date.


The Player Detective

"Let me get this straight..." Johnson was waiting for his break and this was not it. He had been a private detective for years and he didn't even get a missing person assignment. It was just another minor problem.

"You want me to find out if your date is lying to you?"

"Yes." Miss Rensen said.

"I don't understand why you would need me for that."

"I can't know."

"Why?"

"I have tried. I never know. They get me every time. I want love, not a Saturday night."

Miss Johnson was a cashier at Macy's. She had worked there for 10 years. She had never been married and just been on a few dates. Her relationships with men had lasted about two days. It was first the date and then they made love and she was alone. Johnson knew the story. He had grown bored with it. The guys were so easy. He couldn't understand why any woman could not know as he did.

"When are you to go on this date?"

"Tomorrow night."

"You want me to accompany you two or we communicate through text?"

"I want you to come with us."

"I am not sure your date will like that."

"You come and join us a little later."

"He might leave."

"Then I will know and you would have helped me."

"Anyone can do that...for free."

"He may not leave and you will know if he is lying."

"It is part of my training...I would hope I would."

"I know you would...what are your rates?"

"Just enough to cover the bills this month and have some fun."

"So?"

"Eight hundred dollars...you pay me 200 dollars per week."

"Okay...here is a one hundred to start."

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes I do."

"All right." Johnson took her money and put it in his wallet. He was not one to disobey a woman.

"What time is the date tomorrow and where are you two going?"

"Five Guys."

"What time do you want me to be there?"

"Thirty minutes."

"I will be there."

"Thank you, sir.'

"Thank you." Miss Rensen got up and left. Johnson waited for a call. There was not a call again that day. Johnson went home and had a turkey sandwich and sweet tea and salad and then caught a football game he owned on dvd.

Johnson arrived a few minutes before the time he was supposed to meet Miss Rensen and he sat about 4 tables away. It was a bad sign, Johnson thought, that her date took her to this place. The burgers were good but on a first date, he expected something fancier. This was a place for lunch, not dinner. It didn't say enough yet. Johnson checked the time and he had about ten minutes before he was supposed to sit down with them. He got up and ordered a soda and sat back down. He took a sip of his soda as he checked up on his client. She got up to go to the restroom. Her date pulled out a mirror. Johnson thought that was odd. What man carried a mirror around?

Miss Rensen came out of the bathroom after ten minutes and came

over to where Johnson was sitting and sat down with him.

"Hello." She said.

"Hello." He said.

"What do you think?" She said.

"I can say that it is not normal that he took you to this place for dinner...this a place for lunch...he is not dressed all that great...I usually don't dress up either and his hair...slick...he is combing it now...with a mirror...what man carries a mirror?"

"You could tell all that already...being way over here?"

"I am just guessing he may not be honest with you...maybe he is modest but I don't know...wait a minute who is that?"

A woman sat down with the date of Miss Rensen.

"Do you know her?" He said

"No, I don't." She said.

"I suggest we do a double date."

Miss Rensen smiled.

"Yes, shall we?"

"Ladies first."

Johnson and Miss Rensen went over to where her date was. Miss Rensen and Johnson walked over together slowly. Her date didn't seem shocked or surprised.

"I am sorry about leaving you...Ronald...this is my friend Joe...he is my new employee."

"No problem...oh um...this is an old friend from high school."

Johnson knew this man was wrong. There was a white circle on his ring finger...man must have removed it shortly before he came. Why he didn't remove it sooner...well they could make careless mistakes. The man seemed a little nervous now...his friend didn't seem comfortable herself and didn't even introduce herself...just kept her head straight at the date. It was not enough just yet to prove anything yet. Johnson and Miss Rensen sat down. "Well...I better be going...nice meeting you two." The woman said and got up and left very quickly. Johnson got some more evidence. The date turned a little red and used a napkin to wipe his forehead. Why would he be sweating? The air conditioning was blasting cold air. Johnson needed to catch the date in a lie...something. It just took him to get a few facts wrong as it did with all the others. "I am surprised they had not got our food yet." The date said.

"I was gone a little while...I thought it would be here by now." Miss Rensen said. Johnson decided to do his work.

"What do you do for a living, Ronald?"

"I am school teacher."

"That is good. What grades do you teach?"

"First grade."

"What college did you go to?"

"I didn't go to college...I just signed up to take a test...I have 3 years to take it."

"Oh...you don't have to go to school? I thought you had to..."

"No...just take a certification test."

"How long have you been teaching for?"

"I have been teaching for a little less than a year."

"Just getting your feet wet."

"Yes, sir."

"I am sorry, Roland could you excuse Miss Rensen and I for one minute...need to discuss some work."

"No, please."

"Thank you."

Johnson and Miss Rensen slowly got up and went over to the far corner of the place.

"He is lying left and right...they are usually not that sloppy."

"I am listening."

"Okay...first off...he would be fired by now...the state passed a new budget and it cut a lot from education...including teachers...the first year teachers were the first to go...secondly...they would not hire a male teacher to teach first grade...risk of a child molester...higher percentage of men are child molesters...and you have two years to take the test...not three...and finally there is a white circle on his ring hand...he is probably married...he was sweating...he was wiping his forehead with a napkin and he turned red as his friend left. The last few points are speculation but I am sure of the others...you check those facts yourself."

"How do you know all of that?"

"It is my job. I have to know details...minor...major...they all can add up..."

"What about the woman who was sitting with him?"

"I don't know...she was cold to us though...left shortly after...just doesn't fit...I am sorry."

"It is okay...thank you...what do I do now?"

"I would find an excuse to leave..."

"I don't want to be rude...maybe he is just trying to impress me..."

"They all do that...the nice ones just don't lie...the good ones..."

"Well...like in court...witnesses lie a little...maybe..."

"His lies were big...he didn't do his homework at all...so careless."

"I will just find an excuse to leave...thank you so much..."

"You're welcome."

"I will send you a check each Friday for a month...right?"

"This one is on the house."

"No...you have bills to pay..."

"I didn't do enough to earn anything here..."

"You did enough...it hurts so much to be alone in the morning thinking the man who left was in love with you...as you were in love with him...you saved my heart..."

Johnson smiled. He was not one to be so touched but she touched him. This is why he was a detective. Maybe he couldn't save the world but it meant everything to save a little of someone's heart.

"I do my best...you pay how you wish at your own pace...dad told me to accept gifts unless they were a bribe...and..." Johnson laughed.

"I asked him...how I would know if it was a bribe and he always said I would know and I had a feeling I would." They both laughed.

"I guess I better get back to him and work on my excuse."

"You will do fine."

"Thank you."

She held out her arms and they embraced. Miss Rensen went back to sit down with her date. Johnson made sure she would be okay. She left her date shortly after and Johnson smiled.

Randall W. Pretzer

Too Good To Be True

A Player Detective Story

Richard Johnson sat at his desk waiting for someone to walk in. His day started 9 am and ended at 5 pm but his work was until he needed to get to bed. This was about 9 pm. He didn't have a secretary. He didn't need one. The time then now was 11 am. Johnson had started out hoping for a big break but had a change of heart after his last case. There was something to be said about a woman's smile.

His phone rang an hour later.

"Hello, Richard Johnson, Private Detective. How may I help you?"

"Is it a good time that I come to your office now?"

"My office hours are from 9 am to 5 pm but I stay working until 9 pm….so it is about 11 am….."

"Okay, thank you I will be there in a minute."

They hung up. Women called him up most of the time he was starting to catch that. She was more of like a house call….not a woman in trouble. She was in his office in what could have been less than a minute. She knocked on the door.

"Yes, come in." Johnson said.

She opened up the door quickly and shut it.

"Please sit down."

"Thank you." She sat quickly and put her purse on the floor next to the chair.

"How may I help you?"

"What are you rates?"

"I charge 200 dollars a week."

"Thank you." She pulled out two one hundred dollars bills.

"How soon can you get started?"

"Right away."

"Good." She put the money on his desk.

"How may I help you?"

" I have met someone."

"Oh, that is good."

"I have two kids."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I don't know when a man is lying to me….."

"Not always easy to know…."

"I want you to find out if this man I am with is really concerned for my kids or just wants to get close to them to get me in bed."

"What makes you feel he is?"

"Nothing so far….but I don't know….I want to know."

"How long have you two been dating?"

"Two weeks."

"You mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"No, please."

"Have you and him made love?"

"Yes."

"Was insistent about it….making love?"

"No….he was very understanding and patient…."

"He brought it up then?"

"No…."

"…And he and the kids spend time together?"

"Always…..he is with them more than me sometimes…."

"You have done a background check on him?"

"Yes….he is fine….nothing…"

"You know what you are doing…why are you here with me?"

"I don't know…."

"You know enough….you are doing everything you need to do.."

"Would you please help me?"

"I am sorry I just wanted to help you save some money….I don't want to be paid to do what you can do yourself…"

"I don't know if he is lying….after all I have done….but maybe you would."

"I will do my best…."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"If I get the job done….you can pay me then…if I don't….on the house."

"No…..take it now."

"Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Where do you want me to start?" Johnson said.

"I was hoping you would know that." They both laughed.

"You would think so yes. Okay…" They continued to laugh.

"All right….I will need to meet him…do you have a picture of him?"

"Yes." She reached inside her purse and pulled out a photo and handed it to Johnson.

"You can keep that one….it is up to date. "

"Where does he work?"

"He works at Burger Time…he is a cook. He has lunch with his co workers around noon at Fries."

"Have you and him had lunch together during the days he works?"

No…I am always working and we get a lunch break at different times."

"You are off today?..."

"Yes."

"Is he at work now?"

"Yes."

"Can call him at work?"

"Yes….why?"

"Ask him if he would like to have lunch."

"Why?"

"I want to check something."

"What?"

"Do you want to have lunch with him?"

"Yes…..but it is his time with his co workers…."

"I feel he would rather have lunch with you…..if you love someone….you want to do everything together…."

"A couple needs their time to themselves…"

"True but….you and him don't have lunch very often…."

"Well I would love to be with him now…..I miss him….I will ask him if he wants to..thank you for the

suggestion it will be nice to have lunch with him."

"You're welcome and yes it will."

She pulled out her cell phone and called up her boyfriend.

"Hello, who is this?...Hello dear…..I was just calling to ask if you wanted to have lunch?...oh….I am sorry….no that is okay….I will pick you up at work….love you." She put her cell phone back in her purse.

"He is having lunch with his friends…..he said he didn't want to be rude." She said.

"I will go there now….I have about 20 minutes to get there…..I just need your phone number and I will keep you up to date."

"Why are you going over there?"

"I want to make sure he is having lunch with his friends."

"This is why I hired you….I never would have known to do that."

"I just need your number….I will call you and keep you up to date."

"Sure." She wrote her number on a piece of paper and gave it to him.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They both headed out and he got to Fries 5 minutes before her boyfriend did.

Johnson sat at the bar and ordered a dr. pepper. The place was small and cozy and the lighting was dim. It was perfect, Johnson felt. John pulled out the photo of her boyfriend and took a sip of his soda. He checked the clock and it was 12:03 pm. Johnson checked around the restaurant but the boyfriend was not there yet. He took another sip of his soda. The bartender came up to him. Her name was Marla.

"Hey, could I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Johnson kept checking the entrance as she talked to him.

"Why are you sitting at the bar if you are not drinking?" She said smiling.

"I felt I would not stand out too much here."

"I understand." She smiled. Johnson smiled back and checked the entrance and then the clock above the entrance. It was 12:15. Johnson pulled out his cell phone to call his client and her boyfriend walked in…..with another woman. She was not dressed in the same work clothes. They sat down at a booth at the far left of the restaurant. Johnson stepped down from the bar slowly, put 5 dollars on the bar for the bartender and left his soda. He sat down in a booth behind the boyfriend.

"Can I ask you something, dear?"

"Sure." Her boyfriend said.

"Why are you not wearing your wedding ring?"

"I am sorry I lost it, Martha, honey."

"You lost it?" She said sternly.

"I am so sorry…..I took it off in the bathroom and I went to wash my hands….it fell into the sink." He got up and sat next to her and kissed her.

"I am so sorry honey."

"It is okay, dear." She rubbed her hands in his hair.

Johnson slowly got up and went to the bathroom. He called up his client.

"Hello." She said.

"I need you to come to Fries."

"What for?"

"He is using your kids…."

She hung up. Johnson sat back down at the bar and ordered another soda. He didn't feel too good.

His client was there about 10 minutes later. She checked around the restaurant and quickly walked over to where her former boyfriend was. Johnson went over and sat back down at the booth he was at.

"Hello…Martin. My kids need to be picked up soon…..so let's make this quick."

"Hello….uh…..who are you?" Martin said.

"You are mistaken, miss….his name is Herbert. My husband."

"My name is Minnie…..nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Minnie, would you please tell me what this is about?" Martha said.

Minnie was quiet for a second.

"Well….?" Martin said calmly.

Minnie smiled.

"I am sorry I made a mistake."

"It is all right, Miss." Martha said.

Minnie sat down to where Johnson was sitting.

"Can we go back to your office and talk?"

"Sure."

"I will go pick up my kids and then we will be there."

"Okay."

They both got up and left.

Johnson checked for messages on his phone and he didn't have any. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Minnie walked in and sat down.

"That was fast." Johnson said.

"The kids are working on an after school project."

"I remember those."

"So do I."

They both smiled.

"How are you doing?" Johnson said.

"I don't know what to do." Minnie said.

"I felt you were going to turn him in."

"I was."

"What stopped you?"

"His wife."

"What did she do?"

"I don't want to break up a marriage."

"I understand."

"But….she has a right to know…."

"Do you feel it is your call, though?"

"That is what I am not sure about."

"Right."

"She may know?"

"She could."

Minnie began to cry.

"I am sorry…."

Johnson pulled out a box of Kleenex from under his desk and pushed it towards her.

"It is okay." He handed her a kleenex and she took it.

"Thank you."

"Does she know what kind of a man he is?" Minnie said.

"There is that chance." Johnson said.

"He used my kids…..he never cared about them…..he did damage to them….should she be married to a man who does something like that?"

"No woman should….but some do….just hard to leave…finances…..kids….."

"I understand."

"I would like to ask him why he did this to my kids…..why he does it to his wife…" Minnie said.

"Do you feel it would do any good?"

"I don't know….I just want to know….is making love that important?"

"I was told that some men just need more than one woman."

"I have had men lie to me to get me in bed but they never used my kids to do it."

"I am sorry."

"It is okay….thank you for everything…."

"I would rather have this on the house." Johnson said.

"You keep the money…..you did your job. Thank you."

"You're welcome…well dad told me unless it is a bribe take it….I asked him how I would know it was a bribe and he said I would know. He was right."

They both laughed.

"What are you going to do?" Johnson said.

"I don't know….."

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Johnson said.

"I will let you get back to work."

"We will be in touch, call me if you need anything."

"Thank you. I will." The door opened before Minnie was able to get out of the chair. Martha walked in slowly and sat down. Minnie remained seated.

"How may I help you?" Johnson said.

"I want to know what you two were doing at the restaurant."

"How did you find my office, ma'am?"

"I know you, Mr. Johnson. You are a private investigator."

"Yes, that is right, where do you know me from? I don't feel I know you."

"A friend of my husband hired you. You remember Miss Rensen?"

"Yes. I helped her find out if her date was lying to her."

"I picked her up after she left the restaurant and that is where I know you from. I knew you were there today and considering you are a private investigator and you, Minnie, came up to me and my husband. I feel something is going on…..a case…..what is this is all about?"

"I am not at liberty to say, ma'am, I am sorry." Johnson said.

"What about you, Minnie? Can you tell me?"

"I don't know….."

"You can tell her….Minnie." Johnson said.

"I made a mistake, Martha."

"I don't think so, Minnie. ….you were at the restaurant before I got there…..you were at the bar and you came and sat down behind my husband and I and then you got up and went to the restroom and then sat back at the bar."

"Yes, I did." Johnson said.

"Then you, Minnie, came over shortly after to talk to my husband."

"Yes, I did, I am sorry." Minnie said and put her head down.

"Now, Minnie, dear." She had changed her tone. She took a hold of Minnie's hand.

"What is this all about? I am sorry about how I was just now."

"It is okay….I understand." Minnie said.

"It is no problem, miss." Johnson said smiling.

"I am not sure what to tell you, Martha." Minnie said.

"My husband is not perfect….." Martha said and then stood up and went over to the window.

"We have had our difficulties…..like all married couples…he has been with other women…..but he always comes back to me….so it is not so bad….I have been his favorite…..I always then become a better wife….do more than I did….so he does it again…..then he comes back….I do more…..one day I will do enough and he will never leave again…..just takes time." Martha sat back down next to Minnie.

"So, Minnie, if my husband was sleeping with you….it is okay…I don't blame you….it just tells me I need to make some more changes…."

"I am sorry, Martha, I didn't know he was married…I hired Mr. Johnson to find out." Minnie began to cry again. Martha put her arm around her.

"It is okay, dear. I know you didn't know. The others didn't know. "

"Is there anything we can do for you, Martha?" Johnson said.

"No, I have to make the changes."

Martha stood up.

"It was nice meeting you both." She put her hand out to both of them and they shook hands.

Martha headed for the door and Minnie got up.

"Martha…..I..." Martha stopped and turned towards Minnie.

"Do you know what your husband does to win over the women, I am curious?"

"Everything in the book…..which makes it harder and harder for me….."

"Can you give an example?"

"He used your kids to make love to you."

"You knew?"

"I know my husband, dear." Martha smiled.

"I didn't know if I should have let you know or not….I didn't want to risk ruining your marriage…."

"I understand, Minnie. I better be going. So long." She left the office.

"I better be going too and pick up my kids."

"I am about to be out of here myself."

"Thank you, Mr. Johnson."

"You're welcome. Call I am here."

"I will." They both smiled. She got up and left.

Randall W. Pretzer

She Called

A Player Detective Story

His phone rang.

"Hello, this is Richard Johnson, private detective."

"Hello, Richard, wow…I never knew your first name. It is Miss Rensen."

"Hello, Miss Rensen, what can I do for you?"

"Would you want to have lunch?"

"What is this about?"

"It is a social call."

"Oh, you mean you want to have lunch as friends?"

"We will just find out."

"It is up to you."

"Thank you."

"When do you want to have lunch?"

"Is about now okay?"

"This is about when I have lunch….sure."

"Do you like fast food…it is about all I have time for. I am sorry."

"It is fine."

"Macdonalds all right?" Miss Rensen said.

"Sure…."

"I will meet you on the one near your office."

"I will be there."

They both hung up at the same time.

Macdonalds was not very crowded to their surprise. It was very odd during lunch time for there not to be a crowd but there it was. Johnson and Miss Rensen almost had the place to themselves. Miss Rensen had a salad and Johnson had a chicken sandwich and fries. They both had sweet tea. They sat at the booth near a window.

"I am not use this." Johnson said.

"Use to what?" Miss Rensen said and smiled.

"I never date. I never even have lunch with friends. I am not very social…."

"Why is that? Don't you get lonely?"

"I get a number sometimes…..I never call…I never know when to call….a month goes by….I call and nothing. "

"You wait too long…..you have to call a couple days after you get the number…"

"I just am afraid of doing too much too soon….especially if they just broke up with someone…."

"It is not doing too much giving them a call…just to say hi or go for lunch.."

"You are right….I just never know when it is too soon or too late…."

"Well….a month is too late…" They both laughed.

"Besides…..calling them once two days after you get their number is not doing too much….I have had guys call me every day…..four times a day…20 times….they would come over all the time….come by my work….that is doing too much….yet some of them are so nice….I can never say no….until just finally…I have to say something about what they are doing…."

"I am sorry about all of that….I am too afraid to even call once…."

"It is okay…..they did stop finally…..just took a year….couple of years or…a few months….but they did finally stop."

"What did it take to make them stop?"

"They just gave up….or they found someone else….nothing I really did that was different…..they may have just got worn out…"

"I always felt in those situations….it was the guy trying to you wear you down until you gave in and started dating him….I have known of some doing that…"

"I feel that way too….I never knew it about all of them….some of them sure but I don't know about all of them….all had different reasons….maybe obsession….thought I was playing hard to get….some couldn't help themselves…."

"I am sorry about all of them doing that to you….being that way…..I don't get it…..I don't want to be around a woman who does not want to be around me…..no point…..I am sad but it means everything when they are with you because they feel it and want to….hard to explain…I understand and don't understand those other men in your life who did that….could be my next case….investigate them."

They both laughed.

"It is okay. Thank you though. I don't have an issue with that anymore. I just never could know when a man was playing me or not. I want to thank you again for helping me last time. I have not been on a date with anyone since."

"You're welcome and it was not a problem. If you need anymore help…..I am there. It is my job and I would have it done for free."

"I couldn't have had you done it for free but thank you. Besides….I…" She stopped.

"Well….." She smiled.

"I didn't mean for this to be just a lunch date." She said.

"Oh….well.."

"Do you know how I feel about you?" he said.

"Yes….but I do know that you would never do anything about it…" She laughed a little.

"You knew that too?" He laughed.

"Yes, I did." She laughed.

"How did you know….the million dollar question."

They both laughed.

"You were very shy around me…..you tried to hide it but I knew….also….I knew you were upset about my last date…you helped me with….and you tried to hide that too….it told me something about you…..I liked you….I like you….it was your honesty….you didn't take advantage of me….ask me out….use your position to get something….you just did your job…I loved it."

"I want to help you and others get justice….no other reason to do my job except for doing the right thing. I did come to like you…..a little after you were in my office….I will admit….us men we work fast….but you were a client….it was not right for me to do anything….I wanted to help you with your date….and that was all I would do and I did….I was happy to help you….that I saved you from a heartbreak...there I was before you came…waiting for my big break….then after I helped you…I found this was my job….this was why I did it….saving someone.."

"Well…..I need you for a job….."

"What kind of a job?"

"I want you to save me from a lot of bad dates."

They both laughed.

"I can do my best."

"You all ready have."

"Is this where I kiss you?" They laughed.

"Do I have to do it first?" They laughed.

"Uh….I am sorry…well.."

She got up and sat next to him and put her lips to his. He figured out what to do then.

Randall W. Pretzer

I Give My Resignation

A Player Detective Story

"I am tired of the same thing. It starts off good and then ends with them wanting me to make love to them...it is always on the first date...we go to their place and they ask and I say no they get mad and we part. They always are good at first...no cliches...no pick up lines anymore...just conversation and then nothing. I have met them at bookstores...the mall...school...work...etc...not bars or clubs and yet they have all been the same wanting the same thing...to make love to me and move on...I want something real...a long term relationship and I have waited two weeks or so and still the same thing. I just want something guaranteed instead...so I know this may not be within your line of work but I am here to pay you to find a good man to start a long term relationship with. I trust you will be able to find one for me...you are a man and you know them better I or any other woman could. So here I am today." She said.

"I have not ever set up a date or anything but it is the type of thing I will do...do you have any preferences...your taste?"

"It does not matter to me...just someone who will treat me right and if I don't fall in love with him even if he does treat me right...just keep recommending until I do fall in love with them and they fall in love with me."

He finished writing all of what she said down.

"You don't have to pay me...I will do this for free...but thank you." He said.

"I would prefer to pay you...but thank you for the offer...I want to pay you...this is good of you to do this." She said. She knew he was a different kind of person. He has been with her friend for awhile and she had told her he was treating her well and she was around him first hand when he was doing it. He didn't make any advances towards her or anything. He didn't say anything about how she was dressed or anything. He had been the only man not to. Her friend was with a good man.

"What will I owe you?" She said.

"Just what I need to pay the bills this month and some liesure time." He said.

"I can pay you right now..." She said.

"Thank you I do appreciate that but you can pay me after the job is finished." He said. This was new to her and again a good man.

"Thank you. Here is my number." She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and a pen and wrote down the number and handed it to him. He took it gently.

"I will let you know when I have found someone I feel you will want to be with." He said.

"Thank you." She said and smiled. She got up and left his office.

The Player Detective picked up his phone after she left and dialed the number of his best friend.

"Hey, what is going on?" His best friend said.

"Not much...just working and you?" The Player Detective said.

"The same." His best friend said.

"Hey...I have a new client and she is a very good woman...my wife knows her very well..."

"You would like me to take her out?"

"You know me too well..."

"I would hope after 10 years."

They both laughed.

"Thank you. I will give you her number."

"Sure...thank you..."

The best friend of The Player Detective He took her to dinner at the most expensive restuarant in town and in many places of the country. He didn't dress very nice but neither did she so she didn't mind. He was most likely trying to impress her but not as much as others did. His only efforts to impress were so far just the restuarant he had taken her too and the fact that he was paying for the dinner. He did ask her permission if he could first and she said sure. He was told it was his duty and she liked that. It was rare for a man to believe that and he did. It was so far so good. The date had been going on for two hours now. They had checked out a movie before and then drove around before that and just talked about everything. She could not believe how much he just wanted to talk and how he listened to everything she said and responded. She loved it she was not use to it and here was a man giving her so far all the things she wanted. She had had men

pretend before on a date but they didn't go through all of this trouble so she was almost certain this man was the real deal. The others also didn't let the date go on as long before they asked if they could go to her place or his place. They had been hanging out for a few weeks before they went on a date and that was not known to her. The men always asked her on a date after just a few minutes of conversation or after them introducing themselves. This man was taking his time so far and she liked that. It has been a month before they had made it on this date and that was the limit she set before she felt a man might be worth it. The key for her was time. She had so many disappointments and so much pain she was hoping it would end with this man or that she would be able to stop this before it hurt her. It was always taking a chance and what was life without them?

"I am sorry have I said something wrong?" He said.

She had just come to know that she had not said much or had been listening to him.

"I am sorry, no, you have not, please continue. I like to listen." She said. She was not going to tell him what she was really doing but also could not come up with anything else she may have been going through so she just left it at that.

"Thank you, you are a good listener." He said.

"Thank you. I do my best. You are a good listener too." She said.

"Thank you." He said.

The waiter came with their check. Her date paid all of it just as he said he would. She smiled. The waiter handed her date back his receipt.

"Well, what would you like to do now?" He said.

"I like sitting here or we could drive around." She said.

"I was feeling we could go to either my or your place?" He said.

She would have said no in any other circumstance but because it had been a month or more she felt he was meaning to just hang out. She would go to his place since she was driving and if it didn't work he would not know where she lived.

"We can go to your place." She said.

"That will work" He said.

He got up first and he pulled out her chair as she got up. They walked out of the restuarant holding hands.

His house was very modest just like his car was. She couldn't understand why they had not been to his or her house after a month since had been friends until now she felt friends usually went to spend time at each others houses but well they always just met somewhere going in seperate cars. He got out of the car first and opened the door for her. He was such a gentleman so far and he walked her to his door and he opened the door first and let her go in first. She really hoped this was for real and not another disappointment. He asked her where she would like to sit and she sat down on the couch and said thank you. Everything in the house was modest and so far so good. He asked her if she needed anything and she said she didn't. He didn't even sit down next to her. He sat in his loveseat across from her.

"You have a very nice house." She said.

"Thank you." He said.

"Do you own it?' She said.

"Yes, I do, I just finished paying it off a few months ago. I have lived here for 15 years." He said.

She was not sure about that now. He parents took longer to get their house paid off. She didn't know of too many getting their house paid off within that time. However, since the player detective helped set this up and did it without charge, she owed it to him to give her date the benefit of the doubt. He was a good friend of the player detective so she felt he was real but she couldn't help but keep up her defenses.

She didn't know now that he was sitting next to her and had his around her.

"I feel it has been long enough, don't you?" He said. He kissed her on the cheek.

"I feel we need to wait a little more." She said and moved away from him slowly.

"I don't understand...it has been a month or more...is that not enough time for us to be able to know to give this a try?" He said and he moved closer to her.

"I am not ready for this yet." She said.

"What was this the whole time then?" He said.

"It was a date but not anything long term just yet." She said. She got up and walked over to the door.

He got up and went over to her by the door.

"Wait...I am sorry I didn't mean to be that way...I am just ready now. I don't want wait. I have been waiting all my life and you finally came. Why do we need to wait anymore? What more do you need to know?" He said.

He was asking questions none of the others asked and she had trouble not feeling he was meaning what he said. However, she was not ready for this yet.

"I am sorry I just feel we need some more time...to talk more...do more things..." She said.

"We have done so much all ready...I feel I know you now...as if I have always known you." He said.

The others had said something like that before. She was silent for a minute and just stood by the door...feeling disappointed.

"What is wrong?" He said.

"I don't know you enough yet...to get anything like a serious relationship started...I didn't come here to start anything...just to hang out..." She said.

"This is a date...you kiss on a date...you hold hands...sometimes make love on a date...is there something wrong with me? I know you made love on first dates before...kissed on first dates...why the others and not me?" He said.

"Those others hurt me...how do I know you won't hurt me? I have to be sure and I am not yet. It is nothing personal against you...if I had it all to do over again...I would never have kissed or made love to any of those men on those first dates...I am sorry I didn't mean to make you feel that way.." She said. This was a different kind of conversation so far. He so far was having issues of self-esteem. He felt less than those others guys in his life and the others never felt this but she couldn't know what he was feeling just yet. She had come to know that he was sitting back down on his couch and was drinking a beer.

"You can go home now, lady." He said. She knew now who he was. He was another man. Another disappointment.

"Your routine failed, huh?" She said and couldn't know she had said that. She was being a little tough. She was not use to it but she had had enough.

"You were pretty seasoned. I felt I had something new...something revolutionary...wait a month...be insecure...and like the others I would have you...but you know too much." He said. He took another sip of his beer and got up.

"I am going to bed. You have to admit we had good time for awhile?" He said.

"Just full of cliches." She said and opened the door and left. He laughed and went to his room.

She knocked on the door of The Player Detective but he didn't answer. It was a woman.

"Hello, may I help you?" She said.

"Yes, I was wanting to meet with The Player Detective...I am his client."

"I am sorry he is not in and won't be in...again."

"Do you know where he might be?"

"He said he would be at the Walden Bookstore but to tell his clients...he has retired."

"Thank you very much...you have been very kind...what is your name?"

"I am a friend of his wife...I am just helping move his stuff out."

'I am friends with his wife...very nice to meet you."

They shook hands and smiled.

"Thank you again...4 of us will get together."

"Sure...we must."

She walked slowly into the bookstore and he was there sitting at the cafe drinking a frapp. She couldn't tell what flavor it was. He was depressed she knew just by how he was sitting. She went up to him slowly.

"Hello." She said.

He got up and held out his hand.

"Hello, would you like to sit down?"

"Sure, thank you."

"I have to tell you that I am not working as a detective anymore. I am sorry but I wish you well with your search for a good man."

"I understand how you feel...but I am not mad at you...I don't feel any less for you..."

"Thank you for that...I don't feel I can do this job anymore...I should have known what my friend would do...I knew him for 15 years...I should have known..."

"He was your best friend...you couldn't have known...I didn't know about so many men..."

"What if he had been after more than just making love to you...I don't know...I just feel I can not do this anymore..."

"We all have made mistakes in our jobs...but most of us do our jobs well despite the mistakes...your friend was not a good man but that is not your fault...or anyones fault...he abused your trust...not your fault...I have had people I felt were my friends who I had known for awhile and then they ended up hurting me...men mostly...so this is not new...I appreciate the effort you made...your willingness to take my case even it was not what you normally did...your efforts to help people is what makes you good at your job...your concern for you clients...you have had cases you couldn't solve or perform before? right?'

"Yes...detectives make mistakes...just...I don't know...my job as a detective is to know people...I specialize in knowing when a man just wants to make love to a woman or not...or when he is lying or being honest. I am not suppose to get fooled like this...how can I be of help to you or any other woman or man when I can not even know when I am being played?"

"Well as my dad always told me...ask yourself what have I learned from this? What have you learned from this?"

"That is a good question and one I never asked myself before. I never needed to ask it. I knew why I failed the last times...there was not anything to learn I felt but this time...I didn't have an answer...until now...I didn't do any research...I didn't do my job...I didn't feel the need to because he was my friend and I felt that I knew him well enough...that the research had all ready been done...knowing all those years I felt was the research and if I had done research I would have felt bad to do that since he was my friend but this is a part of my job...I research...I should have done research on him...wow...maybe I won't resign after all...thank you...thank you...I feel I owe you something."

"You don't owe me anything...just yes please...don't resign...you do a great service...you help a lot of people...you are helping me."

"Thank you ...I do my best. Did you still want to be my client and the offer is still there...I will do it for free?"

"I still want to be your client and I still want to pay you...but thank you. Let me buy you some coffee."

"Sure, thank you."

They laughed.

Randall W. Pretzer


End file.
